Black Jack by TEZUKA Osamu

Black Jack is the story of an unlicensed greedy doctor. Through out the books shows Black Jack doing some good deed, for which he rarely gets recognition — often curing the poor and destitute for free, or teaching the arrogant a lesson in humility. They sometimes end with a good, humane person enduring hardship, often unavoidable death, to save others. The art is really simple,but entertaining regardless. There is romance, humor and even educational value through out the books. Not only also shows Black Jack's interaction with is patients and the lessons he taught, but you get a look into his past and get to know the character better as well as his motives.

Shelter by Harlan Coben

Harlan Coben is an author better known for adult novels and now has created a series (I'm assuming) for young adults. I've enjoyed his other novels and this one is no different. I look forward to more in his young adult area.

Mickey's life has changed now that he's living with his uncle after his father died and his mom entered rehab. He's in a new town and school, simply trying to fit in. Since that's not enough for the sophomore to deal with, his girlfriend (Ashley) has suddenly gone missing. Then, one day on the way to school, the crazy "Bat Lady" stares at him from across the street and tells him that his father is still alive. As he tries to figure out how what she said is possibly true, Mickey becomes friends with the school losers (Ema and Spoon), enemies out of the basketball captain (Mickey longs to be on the basketball team) and the Chief of Police, and discovers that Ashley's disappearance is far more complicated than he ever imagined.

There is a lot going on in this novel in terms of mysteries. There's Ashley's disappearance, Bat Lady's cryptic message, and the mystery of a butterfly image that keeps appearing places. If I recall correctly from other Coben novels, he does throw a lot in, but it keeps the story going and all comes together nicely in the end. This novel is the same way. It all comes together, although at the end you're left with a bit of a "Huh?" reaction, but I think that's just to create a cliffhanger for another novel (fingers crossed). Everything else gets settled except for a new detail that gets thrown in at the last second, so overall it just creates more appeal. The novel definitely kept me going. It is a quick read with more than enough for teens to relate to (even if some of the moments can be a bit stereotypical - like the dumb, jock bully). Mickey had been introduced in an adult novel (Live Wire) and when the novel began it was in the middle of a lot of things that had already happened (dad's death, mom's rehab, etc.). At first I wondered if I should have read Live Wire, but eventaully things were settled and everything worked out.

I really enjoyed this novel. It had a great mystery that kept on going. You also grew to care about the characters which is important in a successful novel. I definitely look forward more from this series.
MMK

Rotters - Daniel Kraus

Joey Crouch has a good life in Chicago. He is a straight A student, plays the trumpet, and lives with his mom. Then his mom dies in a tragic accident. Joey is uprooted and sent to rural Iowa to live with his dad. His dad's house is littered with newspapers and books along with a rotting stench to it that will not go away. The kids at Joey's new school ask him what his dad does because he is supposedly a garbageman, but nobody sees him pick up any trash around the town. His biology teacher uses him as a human guinea pig in class every day. He ignores them to focus on getting good grades. A bump in this road is his dad who buries his homework, his trumpet, or anything else that Joey might need for school. Joey must dig to get his possessions back. Even though he does not realize it at the time his dad is training him to become a digger. Diggers dig up graves to take the valuables that might lie with the dead. The first time he goes out with his dad he helps out more than he thought. Joey is able to get the grieving daughter away long enough so his dad can dig up the father's grave. This act earns him some respect with the other Diggers. As he accompanies his dad on more and more digs, he attends school less and less. Even when Joey does go to class the kids still tease him about his smell and what his dad does for a job. At one point Joey just snaps and decides to take his revenge on his biology teacher and two of the popular kids who harassed him all the time. After he gets his revenge Joey runs away with another digger named Boggs to California.

When I first saw the title I thought it was going to be a zombie book, but after reading the inside cover I found out it was not. This book takes you into the world of grave robbing, a place where many of us probably would not go. As I was reading Rotters, it seemed very similar to The Monstrumologist by Richard Yancey. I believe that readers who liked The Monstrumologist will enjoy Rotters, and vice versa.

T.B. 3/9/12

The Last Song

Ronnie who lives in New York City with her mother and her younger brother are traveling to North Carolina to spend summer time with her father. She has not spoken to her dad for about three years and she is not happy about spending her glorious summer without her friends.


During a first few weeks with her father, she does not have a relationship with him, her younger brother get just fine with their dad.


Ronnie meets Will, he has a passion for volleyball, they become friends and later fall in love. Will helps Ronnie restore her father-daughter relationship and her passion for music. Ronnie later on discovers that her father is very ill, he has cancer. She want to recuperate the days she did not talk to her father, she wants to help him during his finals days.

As the summer comes to an end, is time to go back to school she decides she will stay in North Carolina with her father. Will is very supportive of Ronnie and they make a few changes in their relationship in order to be closer to eachother during school time.

I really enjoy Nicholas Sparks, I enjoy reading romance novels with a twist at the end. I feel this book contain exactly that, a end that the reader will not expect. RPA

Reality Check By: Peter Abrahams

One of the main characters is Cody. He becomes a drop-out in High School. Cody was an active football player, because of an injury he can no longer play. He has been dating Clea, the richest and prettiest girl in school. Her father disapproves so when she gets a B grade on her report card she is sent to Hong Kong for the summer, then to an elite boarding school in Vermont. Meanwhile,, without football he cannot get into school so quits to work in the lumber yard where he had worked over the summer. When Clea disappears while horseback riding, Cody wants to search for her too. Cody traveled in his car with his duffel bag with his belongings to Vermont. Cody arrived at Clea's Dover Academy a few days later. The search for Clea had started and their was Sargent Orton involved, who seemed to be genuinely concerned. The search for Clea was called off after a snowfall. Cody is working as the Sargent's assistant when finds Clea's cellphone in the warming hut in the forest near the school. Cody crosses paths with Agent Brand after he happens on a bar and sees students from the school there. Bran, like Orton and at first likes Cody. Brand offers Cody $500.00 to go back Little Bend, Colorado at once as Brand believes Cody to be in danger. A very wonderful stable caretaker has shown Cody a ledger with various transactions in it. Cody, and Sargent Orton go back to the barn, where the ledger is now missing. Now the Sargent and Cody explored the cider house, where Cody believed Clea was hostage. Cody got locked in a closet, and duct tape was placed over his mouth when he got too close to the truth of what happened to Clea and to some of the horses. I liked the novel, and had no idea what would happen. The novel is a good read.
LD 3/5/12

The Dead of Winter - Chris Priestley

Michael Vyner lost his father and now has lost his mother. After her death he is taken to live with Sir Stephen, a friend of his father's, and now is his legal guardian. As soon as Michael arrives at Hawton Mere he begins to see strange things. He sees a woman in white along the road to the estate. As he is exploring, he sees a boy in the mirror that is not him. He hears strange sounds coming from a priest hole, where a priest died years ago. Michael even hears what sounds like someone running in the hallway outside his bedroom. As he finds out about the history of Hawton Mere he discovers that Sir Stephen's wife, Margaret, died in the moat surrounding the estate. Once he sees a picture of her he realizes that she is the one he saw on the road, and she is the one outside his window at night. What does the ghost of Margaret want? Why does is seem to only be Michael who can see the ghost and no one else? What other evil might be lurking in the halls of Hawton Mere Estate?

The book is set in Victorian England, as is the way that the characters speak. Don't let the language deter you. Once I got past the first few chapters it becomes a really good ghost story. I didn't want to put it down. The story keeps you interested and wanting to know what will happen next. This is a perfect book to read around Halloween, or when you just want to give someone a good scare.

T.B. 3/4/12

Hold Me Closer Necromancer by Lish MicBride

Sam is going about his life as a fast food worker with a couple of pals who share his apartment and a girlfriend when he has a chance meeting with a very bad man. His life rapidly changes with people insisting he knows all about his powers. He didn't know he had any. He gets captured and thrown into a cage with a hybrid werewolf (female) who is being tested to determine her strength and her threat. In fact, that is exactly why Sam is there. You see Douglas is a very powerful necromancer who wishes to rule the world. Douglas is none too easy on the pair and it is clear they need to escape his grasp. They are surrounded by protections which seems to make that impossible. But with a little help from a cast of wonderful, quirky characters they get it done. There's a lot of humor in this book. Douglas beheads Sam's girl then reanimates just her head which is carried around in a bowling ball bag. Sam has a quick wit and sharp tongue. Ashley, a ghost of sorts, loves waffles and so it goes. The uncomplicated version of this story is that Sam meets and kills a very very bad man and meets a kick ass girlfriend. There is lots of action, nail biting scenes, excitement here. I highly recommend this to anyone at least 14 years old ( there is a little sexy scene in the story). JDW 3/3/12

Paranormal By:Kiersten White

This novel is about the Merging Paranormal Activities. In this novel, we see lots of paranormal activities and we are introduced to some paranormals.

This is the first novel in the series, so there is more to come.

Evelyn, or Evie is a teenager , who is normal . She can detect paranormal activities,, and she is an agent for the International Agency for the Merging Paranormal Activities. (A.I.C.P.) Evelyn works with two agents Lend and Reth. Lend and Reth attend the annual dance to observe.

During Evelyn's investigations, Evelyn discovers that danger is surrounding her.
The novel was intense in some places, but no matter what,I liked the novel. There's a lot I did not understand . Hopefully more will be explained in future books in the series. This novel is a great
start to the series, it explains a lot about Evelyn's beginnings in her life .

Rosie &LRD 2/27/12